Grassroots approach puts dent in indian mynas

There has been a sharp decline in the number of indian myna birds in Canberra.

The indian myna is considered an Australian pest, competing with native wildlife for food and habitat.

For more than five years, an environmental group has been working to drive down numbers in the ACT.

Numbers spiked in the mid-1990s, but Canberra Ornithologists Group president Chris Davey says there has since been a dramatic decline.

"Since about 2003 there's been a great decrease in the numbers, such that now they are about the 13th or 14th most common species," he said.

The decline coincides with an RSPCA supported backyard trapping program by the Canberra Myna Bird Action Group.

The group has more than 1,000 members and is claiming credit for the dent in numbers.

"By our records of people who reported back their monthly captures, we know that we've taken out a minimum of just over 40,000 in six years," said president Bill Handke.

"We've had a huge impact. Around lots of suburbs you don't hear mynas."

The approach has the tick of approval from researchers.

Australian National University PhD researcher Kate Grarock has been studying the bird for four years.

"Basically mynas are a nest site competitor. A lot of our native birds use nest hollows in trees, for raising young and the common myna when it's introduced here it competes with our native species," she said.

She says the grassroots approach has been effective, and could be used for future pest management.

"The trapping effect is certainly more localised impact say on a suburb level," she said.

Mr Davey says it is important pests like the indian myna are kept under control.

"If their presence is at the expense, and if it's been demonstrated that it's at the expense of native species, then I think we really do have to seriously consider managing them," he said.